Guinness Storehouse
Back in August, we took a very short weekend break to Dublin with my husband’s mother, who was visiting us in London. Among the highlights of our trip were a cozy neighbourhood restaurant with a hipster vibe; a second charming local restaurant, where everything was homemade and I wanted to sample every menu item; and tour guides that seemed to have a genuine passion for the sights they were showing and an unquenchable desire to share that appreciation and knowledge.
Breakfast
The gritty neighbourhood that Wuff (23 Benburb St, Arran Quay, Dublin 7) is located in reminded us of our favourite neighbourhood in Brooklyn: Red Hook. Wuff has a hipster diner feel, the staff are so lovely and it is a very short walk from the Guinness Storehouse. We stopped here for a simple, but tasty and filling, brunch before making the 10-minute walk (or less?) to Guinness for our tour. My husband found this one just googling places to grab breakfast and it was probably my favourite find of the whole trip.
Brunch at Wuff
Lunch
The light, fresh, healthy, homemade, vegetable-focused dishes we enjoyed at Brother Hubbard (153 Capel St, North City, Dublin 1), were exactly how I like to fuel myself for a day of sightseeing and were immensely satisfying. The food at Brother Hubbard is made with so much love. If I lived in Dublin I’d come back week after week – probably even more frequently. According to their website, “We make all of our own cakes, dressings, sauces & everything else (except our bread). We use direct trade coffee & organic milk.”
Mouthwatering homemade and plant-powered delights at charming Brother Hubbard.
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Dinner, wine & everything else
Fallon & Byrne (11-17 Exchequer St, Dublin 2) is an emporium of epicurean delights. In one short weekend, we chatted and reviewed trip photos over drinks and cheeses down in the wine cellar; purchased snacks and breakfast items for our B&B room at the ground floor gourmet market; enjoyed a fine dinner, with excellent service, at the upper level dining room; and even snuck a peak at a super fun, quirky wedding taking place in the private event room. I highly recommend making a stop and checking out this place on any visit to Dublin.
The wine cellar at Fallon & Byrne
Sights
For me, the big surprise of our trip to Dublin was the high quality of tour experiences we found at some of the major sites. I had no idea how big the Guinness Storehouse (St James's Gate, Ushers, Dublin 8) is—7 floors!—and certainly did not expect to find it to be so much fun and so fascinating. I loved learning about the history of Guinness and the process of making Guinness, specifically, and beer in general. Each adult entry ticket includes a complimentary pint of Guinness, which you can serve for yourself as you learn to “pour the perfect pint” at the Guinness Academy or claim up at the Gravity Bar, with a view over the city.
Gravity Bar at Guinness Storehouse
I couldn't actually enjoy a pint at Guinness because I'm expecting!
Kilmainham Gaol (Inchicore Rd, Kilmainham, Kilmainham, Dublin 8, Co. Dublin) functioned as a prison from 1796-1924. Our tour guide’s enthusiasm over the history of the jail was contagious and our entire group hung on his every word. Per the official website, “Many members of the Irish Republican movement during the Anglo-Irish War (1919-21) were…detained in Kilmainham Gaol, guarded by British troops. …Kilmainham held thousands of ordinary men, women and children. Their crimes ranged from petty offences such as stealing food to more serious crimes such as murder or rape. Convicts from many parts of Ireland were held here for long periods waiting to be transported to Australia.” Finally, at Trinity College (College Green, Dublin 2), our guide, a recent graduate, had us completey enthralled and laughing away despite the wind and drizzle. I would highly recommend visits to any or all of these major Dublin sights.
Inside Kilmainham Gaol
